Can rack



Patented Aug. 20', 1940 PATENT. OFFICE can more Edgar 11. Bust, Denver, 0010., assignor of twentyiivc per' cent to G. M. Dolezal, twenty-five per cent to John H. Singleton, and twenty-five per cent to Rudolph H. Fox, all of Denver,

Colo.

f Application December 6. 1938, Serial No. 244,207 2.0mm. (01. 312-48) provide a rack which will firmly and securely support a vertical pile of cans of any desired heighth in such a way that the lowermost can of the pile can be conveniently removed at will.-

Cans of lubricating oil are relatively heavy and due to their weight it would ordinarily be extremely diiiicult to remove the bottom can from a' high pile. ,Another object of this invention is to so construct the device so that the weight of the cans will be counter-acted so that but little weight will be resting upon the lowermost can of the pile.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means for supporting the pile after the lowermost can has been removed; and to provide a construction which can be easily or readily attached to or suspended from walls or other.

supporting structures,'and which will enable the labels upon the pile of cans to be visibly displayed at all times for advertising purposes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and emciency. These will. become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved can rack with the cans removed therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cans in therein.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the filled can rack.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of an alternate form of rack.

The invention comprises a sheet metal plate shaped to form a partially enclosed tubular portion l0 having an open front ll of a width equal to almost one-half .the circumference of the tube. The tube I0 is formed of resilient metal so that it may be expanded to receive its contents. The tube is rolled on a tapered contour so as to have a smaller normal diameter at its bottom than at its top, as shown in Fig. 1.

place The tube is rolled to form an enlarged belllike upper extremity IS. The bottom portion of the tube is cut back at the sides, as shown at 12 to a width oi. less than half the circumference and the cut back portion terminates in a bottom shelf l3. It may be supplied with countersunk holes ll by means of which it may be screwedto the wall or any other suitable supporting structure or it may be furnished with hooked members I! which may be hooked to a supporting structure.

The tube is provided with a hinged spring latch ll near its bottom, the point of which exthe cans to prevent them from dropping freely through the tube.

The normal taper of the tube is such that the lowermost cans of the pile, which of course, support the most weight will have the greatest trictional engagement with the tube so that the entire pile will be almost completely supported by the gripping action oi! the tube.

.In use, the cans are placed in the tube as shown in Fig. 2. Whenever a can is desired, the operator releases the latch I1 allowing thelowermost can to descend to the shelf I3. It may be necessary to push the lowermost can downwardly should the gripping action of the tube be suflicient to prevent its descending by gravity. He then releases the latch I! to prevent the remaining cans from descending until desired.

In Fig. 4, the normal position of the tube when the cans are not in place is indicated in broken line. Whereas the gripping position when the cans are in placeis indicated in solid line. The resiliency of the tube is such that the operator may pull any of the cans from the pile directly forward allowing the tube to snap closed about the remaining cans.

I In Fig. 5 an alternate form of the invention is I illustrated consisting of a straightsided, vertical tube 20, also of resilient material such as spring steel, having an open front slot 2|. The tube continues downward to a bottom shelf 22. There the can acts to spring the two sidesot the slot apart and the latter spring closed on the remainlng cans alter the desired can is withdrawn. While a specific form 01' the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or the inven- Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is: 1. A can rack consisting of a sheet of resilient material rolled to form an open tubular passage, for receiving a vertical pile 01' cans, said sheet extending over one-half the circumference of the tubular passage the remainder of the circumference thereof being open, said passage having a normal diameter less than the diameter of the cans to be placed therein so that the tube will exert a frictional gripping action on the cans oi' the pile to partially support the weight thereof; and alatch member in the path of the lowermost can of the pile, said latch being manually withdrawable .to allow said pile to gravitate under the influence of said remaining weight.

2. A can rack consisting of a sheet 01' resilient material rolled to i'orm' an open tubular passage, for receiving a vertical pile of cans, said sheet extending over one-half the circumference of the tubular passage the remainder of the circumference thereof being open, said passage having a normal diameter less than the diameter of the cans to be placed therein, said tube being continuously'tapered and having a greater normal diameter adjacent its upper portion than adjacent its lower portion; so that the frictional gripping action of the tube on the pile of cans will increase as the bottom of the tube is approached; and a manually operated, spring actuated latch supporting the lowermost can oi said pile.

,EDGAR H. RUST. 

